It is widely recognized that proper handling of a tennis racket requires a steady wrist to control the racket face and allow for a more precise hit, thereby resulting in more consistency of stroke and less vibration of the racket. Indeed, maintaining a steady wrist may reduce the likelihood of developing tennis elbow.
Accordingly, many training devices have been developed to assist in preventing a player's wrist from bending during certain tennis strokes. Notably, training device designs which limit wrist movement also keep the player from snapping his hand at the ball, an action that may create significant inconsistency at the point where the racket face hits the ball. In other words, keeping the wrist still, keeps the racket face relatively still, which consequently reduces and/or eliminates mis-hits and mis-timing problems.
Many available tennis training devices, in particular those for the prevention of tennis elbow, function by maintaining the user's arm and hand in a selected position. However, most such devices attempt to fix the hand position alone, rather than constraining the hand in relation to the forearm or restraining flexural movement of the hand, and further do not maintain hand position in the fully backward-extended state. Additionally, most available devices do not provide for positioning of the body relative to the hand in which the tennis racket is held, as such devices do not maintain the player's hand, hips and shoulders in an aligned configuration.
For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,257 to Bobby teaches a rigid restraint that attaches to the top of the tennis racket. The device of Bobby '257 permits attachment of the rigid restraint to the arm above or below the elbow; however, it does not provide a means for keeping the player's hand, hips and shoulders aligned, wherein such alignment requires the desired hip rotation to accomplish a full and proper tennis swing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,169 to Roberts discloses a wrist-to-racket angulation aid for tennis players, comprising a wristband, a racket-handle band, and interconnectable strap segments separately attached to such bands, for tethering the racket handle to the player's wrist. This forces the player to hold the head of the racket above the wrist; thereby, forcing the handle of the racket to assume a selected angle with respect to the player's forearm. However, the Roberts '169 device maintains a hand position approximately midway between fully flexed and fully extended, wherein extension is backward positioning of the hand and flexion is forward positioning of the hand. However, the desired position for a proper tennis stroke is to have the hand in a fully extended orientation. Furthermore, Roberts '169 does not provide a means for maintaining alignment of the player's hand, hips and shoulders, so as to promote the desired hip rotation for accomplishing a full and proper tennis swing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,618,040 to Parten discloses a tennis aid for improving the stroke of a tennis player, comprising a wristband and an associated elastic cord attached thereto. The cord is attached to the wristband near its midpoint, wherein the opposite ends of the cord may be attached to the head of a tennis racket. When the handle of the racket is properly held by the tennis player, tension in the cord will tend to prevent the player from bending the wrist in flexion or extension during a tennis stroke. However, the device of Parten '040 requires connection at two points of the racket, instead of a less-complicated single point, and further does not restrain the position of the hand at a ninety-degree angle relative to the forearm. Furthermore, the device of Parten '040 does not provide a means for maintaining the player's hand, hips and shoulders in an aligned position, wherein such alignment requires the desired hip rotation to accomplish a full and proper tennis swing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,106 to Bickham teaches a vibration dampening device comprising a rigid support member that projects outwardly from the back of the racket. However, such a rigid support may interfere with backhand tennis strokes. Furthermore, the device of Bickham '106 does not restrain the hand in a backward position, nor does Bickham '106 provide a means for maintaining the player's hand, hips and shoulders in an aligned position, wherein such alignment requires the desired hip rotation to accomplish a full tennis swing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,686 to Daugherty discloses a rigid device that is attached to both a tennis racket and a player's forearm, wherein the device restrains the hand position relative to the forearm throughout a tennis stroke. However, the device of Daugherty '686 maintains the hand midway between flexion and extension and further comprises a rigid member that appears to transfer the shock and stress of a tennis stroke from the racket to the hand and forearm; thereby, causing the player to tire quickly. Furthermore, the device of Daugherty '686 does not facilitate maintenance of the player's hand, hips and shoulders aligned together to best provide the desired hip rotation for a full and proper tennis stroke.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,881 to Hurwitz teaches a device for maintaining a selected angle between the racket and the forearm in order to prevent ‘tennis elbow’. The device secures to a band around the forearm and is secured around the midpoint of the handle of the racket. Unfortunately, however, the device is elastic and, as such, does not provide a rigid restraint fixing the angle between the racket and the forearm. Further, the position of the forearm band at the midpoint of the forearm may disadvantageously allow the band to move along the arm under the stresses and flexures of tennis play; thereby, reducing the device's effectiveness. Furthermore, the device of Hurwitz '881 does not provide a means for keeping the player's, hand, hips and shoulders aligned, wherein such alignment requires the desired hip rotation to accomplish a full tennis swing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,945,884 to Korik discloses a tennis aid in the form of a glove that somewhat restrains the hand in an extended position of between 90 degrees and 180 degrees. However, the device of Korik does not maintain a fixed position for the player's hand, since the restraining material is elastic and the glove disclosed allows the hand to move between 90 and 180 degrees.
None of the above-referenced training devices restrain the player's wrist to form an angle of approximately ninety degrees between the hand and the forearm. Moreover, none utilize an L-shaped bracket for attachment to the tennis racket to provide support, and none include a means for maintaining the player's, hand, hips and shoulders in an aligned configuration or position.
Therefore, it is readily apparent that there is a need for a tennis training apparatus and method of use thereof, for forcing or constraining a player to hold the racket in the correct position throughout his/her swing, and for reducing exercise-induced muscle strain and/or injury. There is a further need for such a device that maintains the player's hand, hips and shoulders in an aligned position.